Fast, Fresh + Simple Clams With Swiss Chard, Potatoes and Chorizo

During the dark winter months, we crave hearty meals. The long, dark, gray days require warming foods on the table and in our stomachs. Although one-pot meals often conjure up images of pots simmering for hours on stove or in oven, there is an option which satisfies our need for full and bold flavors while balancing the desire for lighter, healthier fare. Say hello to the pan sauté!

My version of this deliciousness begins with littleneck clams, extra virgin olive oil, chopped Spanish chorizo sausage, Swiss chard, cherry tomatoes, canned potatoes (gasp), garlic, cilantro or parsley, and a splash of white vermouth. These ingredients included several items I always have on hand and a few ingredients I grabbed on the way home from work. The entire cooking process takes about 20 minutes (prep included), and the meal it creates, together with a couple of slices of good bread and a glass of wine, make the perfect week night dinner or weekend lunch.

Okay, technically this version requires 2 pans, as I prefer my potatoes sautéed or roasted when time allows, but it isn’t necessary. I love potatoes and canned whole potatoes are tasty (don’t judge until you try). Make sure your potatoes are drained and dried very well and sauté them in a bit of oil, smoked paprika, salt and pepper for a few minutes so that they have a nice, golden color. Making sure the oil is hot and the potatoes are dry is key.

While the potatoes are cooking, sauté the finely chopped chorizo on medium heat in enough olive oil to just coat the bottom of your pan. Add a chopped clove of garlic or two, sauté for a minute, add the halved tomatoes, and cook for another minute until the garlic and tomato start to wilt a bit.

Now, add your clams, the potatoes (halved), a few handfuls of chopped swiss chard, salt, pepper, and a healthy splash of dry vermouth.

Cover tightly and cook on high until clams just pop open, about 4-5 minutes.

Transfer to deep serving bowls. Be sure each person gets some of the flavor filled broth, using a spoon to divide the chorizo/tomato, potatoes, and greens between the bowls. Sprinkle with some chopped cilantro or parsley and serve. Napkins required!

Meet Taste 4 Travel Guest Blogger, Chef Hope Cohen

HOPE COHEN is a chef, restaurant consultant, media personality, and lover of all things food and wine. She has filmed over 400 cooking shows with nationally and internationally recognized chefs. You’ve seen her on national television stations such as NBC and CBS, and in publications like Philadelphia Style Magazine, Main Line Today, and Philadelphia Daily News. She travels as often as possible studying cooking, the art of food and their relation to culture. She lives in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania with her two favorite people to cook for, her son Julien and daughter Ella. Hope is a member of Slow Food International and the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP).

Which neighborhood do you want to explore?

Trained at the prestigious Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Chef Jacqueline Peccina-Kelly is a professional chef dedicated to providing her clients with the ultimate food tour experience.